Music roll for automatic pianos and the like



Dec. 6, 1927. 7 1,652,003

1 F. G. DUNHAM MUSIC ROLL FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec.19, 1925 lllll '3 lllll 2 I Hill. 1 I lllll 3 2 /l 1H 1 lllll 23 1 BEGIN2 3 2 l I Illl 1 4 BEATS AM ERICA THE BEAUTFUL THE STAR SPANGILED BANNERfianu 0 BY C Cm ATTOR N EY Patented Dec, 6, 1927.

UNITED stares A reason PATENT orricis.

FRANKLIN G. DUNHAM, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AS SIGNOR TO THE AEOLIANC0141- PANY, A COR-PGRA'IION OI! CONNECTICUT.

MUSIC ROLL 1 0R AUTGIVIATIG PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed December 19, 1923.

time of the composition for the singers .1 guidance to all intents likethe conductor of an orchestra or Oratorio. By my invention an. automaticplayer and music-roll thus become readily and effectively usable as anadjunct to community singing and the like.

The drawings show two embodiments of any invention in its preferredform, Fig. l

bein a clan view of )art of a aerforated music-roll entitled The StarSpangled Banner, and with which is combined indicia coming Within mypresent improvements; and i v. 2 is the same except that the roll isadifferent composition -America the Beautifulwritten in different tempoand therefore shows appropriately different in dicia within myinvention.

Describing now my invention by way of the illustrative embodimentsthereof shown in the drawings, and referring in the first instance to 1,this shows part of the front end A. of a perforated music-roll havingthe usual music perforations B for playing the accompaniment of The StarSpangled Banner on an automatic piano. In this specification I have usedletters to designate the parts of the drawings to the exclusion ofmunerais and have done this to avoid any possible confusion with thenumerals which appear on the commercial rolls as shown in the drawingsand which form part of the insigniacomprising my invention as willhereinafter appear.

This particular composition, written in three-quarter time, has threebeat-s to the measure. The incidence of each of these beats relativelyto the music perforations B is indicated for every measure throughoutthe roll by the numerals 1, 2 and 3 located adjacent the musicperforations in proper synchronized relation thereto. The numeral 1indicates the first beat of each measure and the numerals 2 and 3indicate respectively the second and thirdbeats.

The diagram C entitled Positions of baton shows the path traced by theend of a conductors baton when beating one meas- Selial No. 681,5fi5.

ure in three-quarter time as in playing The Star Spangled Banner. Thebaton makes three movements in each measure. The first movement isdowrm'ards shown by the arrow in the diagram, and ends at l which isintended to indiflate that in practice this first baton movement endssynchronon 'ly with each and every heat designated l adjacent the musicperforations. The second baton movement is upwardl and laterally to theright in accordance with the diagram and ends at 2 to correspond withthe hosts 2 on the roll adjacent the music perforations. The third batonmovement in each measure is upwardly and to the left and ends at 3 tocorrespond with the heats 3 adjacent the music perforations.

Suppose now the roll of Fig. 1 is to he used in community singing. Theroll is inserted in the usual way in an automatic piano. Meanwhile, theperson who is to lead the singing has noted from the dia- C that he mustgive three strokes to his baton during each measure in accordance withthe diagram. The roll is then starter at the tempo or speed of travelproper to said roll. He will then time his first baton stroke to end atthe same moment that the first numeral 1 adjacent the music perforationsreaches the tracker bar ducts of the piano. Similarly he will time thesecond and third baton strokes with the incidence of the succeedingnumerals 2 and 3 at the tracker ducts. He will repeat this same cycle ofbaton strokes coincidentally with the arrival at the tracker ducts ofthe succeeding numerals 1, 2 and 3, every baton stroke 1, 2 and 3respectively synchronizing with beat 1, 2 and 3 of every measure at themoment the numerals designating said beats severally arrive at thetracker ducts.

He will continue to mark the time for the guidance of the singers solong as the measure beat numerals occur, which will ordinarily bethroughout the length of the roll. If the tempo should change, or ifthere should be a plurality of accompaniments on one roll, there will beprovided another diagram or diagrams C on the roll appropriate to thechanged tempo, located a little ahead of the actual place on the rollwhere the change occurs. Further, the measure beat numbers adjacent themusic perforations will be changed to accord with the new tempo, as willbe next explained.

For example, suppose the tempo should change to four quarter or commontime; then I would precede this change on the roll with a diagram like Fin Fig. 2 and there would now be four measure heat numerals properlylocated relatively to the n'iusic perforation portion of themusic-sheet.

In said Fig. 2 I have shown a composition in common time embodied in aseparate music-roll provided with my aforesaid improvements. The musicperforations E in this roll represent the accompaniment of the songAmerica the Beautiful. The diagram F on this roll indicates to theperson that to do the leading that he must make tour strokes 0t hisbillion in accordance with the diagram for each measure: and that hemust time these baton strokes to occur respective ly at the moments whenthe numerals 'l, 2, 3 and i, designating the measure beats arrive at thetracker duct-s, the roll, of course, heing played at the tempo speedproper thereto.

In short, the principle remains the same in Fig. 2 as in Fig. l, theonly (lllIQi'OilCG heing in the shape of the diagram I and in the numberof the measure beats to accord with the new tempo.

Those skilled in the art will be readily able from these illustrationsto prepare rolls with the proper indicia to corrcspoml with theparticular tempooi any selection, for the guidance as aforesaid of aperson to act as a leader of community singing or the like.

The word Begin on the illustrated rolls means that as said word reachesthe tracker ducts, the leader is to give a special signal to the singersto begin singing.

Obviously, my improved music-roll can also be used to teach therudiments of orchestral leading or conducting, etc.

These and other modifications can he made which will nevertheless stillbe within the scope and spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In combination with a music-roll for an automatic musical instrument,a baton-11lovement indicating diagram appropriate to the tempo of thecomposition and insigna on the roll. indicating the heats oi themeasures relatively to the music perforations, said diagram comprisinginsignia similar to the foregoing applied to the respective batonmorements in said diagram to correlate them with the respective measureheats to which they belong.

2. In combination with a music-roll for an automatic musical instrument,means on the roll indicating the beats of the measures relatively to themusic perforations; and means on lid roll correlated with said beatindicating means and indicating how to manip- 'ulate a baton inaccordance with said beats.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, this17th clay of December 1928.

FRANKLIN G. DUN HAM.

